Rodent reproductive behavior among males and females after exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals

in Reproduction
Authors:
Jacob R. Maxon J Maxon, Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois System, Urbana, United States

Search for other papers by Jacob R. Maxon in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
and
Megan M. Mahoney M Mahoney, Comparative biosciences, University of Illinois System, Urbana, 61802, United States

Search for other papers by Megan M. Mahoney in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close

Correspondence: Megan M. Mahoney, Email: mmm1@illinois.edu
Restricted access
Rent on DeepDyve

Sign up for journal news

Sexual reproduction—from both physiological and behavioral perspectives—is dependent upon appropriate connections between a diverse, hormone-modulated network of neural regions. Importantly, these substrates are regulated by hormones across the lifespan from early development to adulthood, making them targets of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Rodents, such as mice and rats, are invaluable to the characterization of EDCs because of their sex-specific, stereotyped appetitive and consummatory reproductive behaviors. Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and EDC mixtures pose a salient risk to the health of humans, wildlife, and livestock because these synthetic compounds are ubiquitous due to their widespread use in mass production of consumer and industrial goods. This review outlines how the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulates male and female sexual behaviors, and how phthalates and BPA can perturb appetitive and consummatory behaviors and impact neural substrates that modulate reproductive behavior. We will then discuss how to progress toward a clearer understanding of the reproductive and neurobiological changes that occur due to EDC exposure.

Supplementary Materials

 

  • Collapse
  • Expand